India, June 26 -- The brutal murder of 22-year-old Mayank Lohar aboard a moving Western Railway local train on Tuesday night, following a dispute over closing the door because of heavy rain, has left passengers with safety concerns on the suburban railway network.

The Government Railway Police (GRP), however, say they are fighting an uphill battle. Crippled by severe manpower shortages and inadequate technological support, the force is struggling to police one of the world's busiest suburban rail systems, which ferries between 6.8 million and 8 million passengers every day. (SEE BOX ON FATAL INCIDENTS)

Railway activist Sameer Zaveri said the strength of the GRP has remained virtually unchanged for nearly two decades despite a steady ris...